Former title challenger Dan Hardy (23-10 MMA, 4-4 UFC) will look to end his lengthy UFC losing skid against Duane "Bang" Ludwig (21-12 MMA, 4-3 UFC).
UFC officials today announced the welterweights have verbally agreed to meet at UFC 146.
The event takes place May 26 in Las Vegas at MGM Grand Garden Arena, likely with a heavyweight headliner between champion Junior Dos Santos and top contender Alistair Overeem.
The main card airs on pay-per-view, and prelims are expected to stream on FX. It's not clear where Hardy vs. Ludwig will be placed in the lineup.
Hardy returns from a nine-month layoff that followed a submission loss to Chris Lytle. It marked a fourth straight defeat for the Brit, who opened his UFC career with four consecutive wins before a championship loss to titleholder Georges St-Pierre at UFC 111. After the Lytle loss, UFC president Dana White said the organization wouldn't cut Hardy because of his crowd-pleasing style, but the fighter, who's recently visited various camps, surely finds himself in a must-win situation now.
Ludwig, meanwhile, was kept from a third straight UFC win when Josh Neer put him to sleep in a UFC on FX 1 co-headliner back in January. Ludwig, a veteran fighter who also owns a 43-7-1 pro-kickboxing record, had defeated Nick Osipczak and Amir Sadollah after he moved from lightweight to welterweight.
The latest UFC 146 card now includes:
Champ Junior Dos Santos vs. Alistair Overeem (for heavyweight title)*
Edson Barboza vs. Evan Dunham
Dan Hardy vs. Duane "Bang" Ludwig
C.B. Dollaway vs. Jason "Mayhem" Miller
Paul Sass vs. Jacob Volkmann
* - Not officially announced
Source: Dan Hardy vs. Duane 'Bang' Ludwig slotted for UFC 146 in Las Vegas